come on now ... i want them to win another NC too but this team can win or lose any game they play.

They tend to turn the ball over and their shooting is inconsistent.

If we shoot well we can win the whole thing, but if we play one of those games were we can't hit shit then we can lose to just about anyone. Reality.

I agree with this. However, the defense is usually there. And that often times makes all the difference. Just look at their run to the title game last year for proof. But I'm not predicting them to get that far this year. This team is just too hard to predict.

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come on now ... i want them to win another NC too but this team can win or lose any game they play.

They tend to turn the ball over and their shooting is inconsistent.

If we shoot well we can win the whole thing, but if we play one of those games were we can't hit shit then we can lose to just about anyone. Reality.

Self's teams have always turned over the ball a lot, and they're 14th in the country in FG%, so I don't think think they're any more of a risk to have a bad night shooting than any other team.

I think the whole TCU thing is overblown... it was a really bad loss during a bad week. I know losing to OSU in 2008 doesn't really compare, because even though they were pretty bad, they weren't that terrible.... but, I don't think they'll be lacking in motivation or effort against any team that's ranked 8 or lower. I worry a little about them coming out flat against Villanova or the double-digit seeds.

They were the 2nd overall #1 and might have been the the number one overall had it not been for TCU. That said, it has been a crazy year and there's no clear favorite... but, I don't think they're any more likely to be upset than any other team just because they lost to TCU 6 weeks ago.

That Florida team looks tough. Their 3 point shooting would be very difficult for KU. But they did play in the crappy SEC so those numbers could be skewed a bit. Either way, if KU goes up against a really good 3 point team they should be prepared after beating ISU 3 times this season.

Florida is given the best odds by both KenPom's system and Nate Silver this year to come out of the South region (in Silver's case, it's close between UF and KU but UF nonetheless). While they're a very good team and probably just as good as Kansas if not better, I think beating up on all these bad SEC teams at home has over-inflated their rating past the point of rationality. Nobody would be that surprised if they lost to a team like UCLA or Minnesota in the 2nd round in a close one (just as nobody would be that surprised if KU lost to UNC or Nova if they didn't bring their best).

I wouldn't really give either team a major edge in a matchup if they do make the E8. Either is fully capable of going the distance or losing early. Florida does certainly pose problems with their 3PT shooting and slow pace, but if KU keeps it close, they do seem to have an ability to pull those types of games out which Florida hasn't shown.

What's your thoughts on potentially playing Nova? I haven't seen them much this year. I know they've beaten like 5 top 5 teams in a row or something crazy like that.

They're a tenacious defensive team that takes quite a few threes, but they're not particularly efficient offensive, they're quite fast-paced (which works to KU's advantage in most games as more possessions leads to more opportunities) for KU's superiority to emerge, and they haven't shown an ability to win on the road at all. All of their good wins (Louisville, Georgetown, Cuse, Marquette) came at home, their best road win was probably UConn.

While they do take threes which is dangerous, I think KU fans would be better off cheering for Villanova in the UNC game. They're simply not as talented and not playing as well recently either.

KU is 40th in 3-pt FG defense out of 347 D1 programs. We defend the 3 just fine. In a one-and-done format, sure: someone can get hot. Happens all the time. Makes the tourney fun. VCU and Mich can absolutely get hot and knock us out. However, them getting hot is less likely than us shutting them down.

The point isn't that KU's 3PT defense is poor. It's fine. The point is to reduce the luck factor. The more threes a team takes, the more luck there is involved in the outcome and the greater chance there is of an inferior team pulling off an upset. It's actually not that bad of a draw considering that (they aren't running into Iowa St, Illinois, Belmont, Wisconsin, Davidson, Valpo, or Creighton who base their entire offenses around the 3 ball).

come on now ... i want them to win another NC too but this team can win or lose any game they play.

They tend to turn the ball over and their shooting is inconsistent.

If we shoot well we can win the whole thing, but if we play one of those games were we can't hit shit then we can lose to just about anyone. Reality.

That's reality for just about everyone. And in KU's case, their players have a history of playing and winning in close, ugly, defensive games (and in the tournament, too). I haven't filled out a bracket yet, but I don't see any reason I would really pick against KU before at least the E8 (and I probably won't pick against them at all). They're fully capable of beating anybody in the country at their best and they're also capable of winning the grinders when they're not at their best. The team's composition/style is very similar to last year's team and that team made the NC on basically defense alone.

Sure they could lose early as anybody can in this crapshoot of a tournament if somebody gets hot, but why pick against them (especially if you're a KU fan)? It's not like anybody is better. And one would hope/think complacency/laziness (the team's biggest issue in their bad games) would cease to be an issue at this point.

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I don't want any part of Michigan or VCU. Not that I think they are amazing teams, we just don't match up well with them. Michigan chucks threes too and this team has shown it is less than stellar against pressure (how VCU plays)

Quite frankly I can't believe more teams haven't used traps and presses against us more. Nobody can really handle the ball including McLemore, especially our bigs so it makes for a difficult task for EJ, Tharpe and Releford.

I'd much rather play UNC than Villanova. I think this team beats the living piss out of UNC.

I don't want any part of Michigan or VCU. Not that I think they are amazing teams, we just don't match up well with them. Michigan chucks threes too and this team has shown it is less than stellar against pressure (how VCU plays)

Quite frankly I can't believe more teams haven't used traps and presses against us more. Nobody can really handle the ball including McLemore, especially our bigs so it makes for a difficult task for EJ, Tharpe and Releford.

I'd much rather play UNC than Villanova. I think this team beats the living piss out of UNC.

I think McLemore should come back next year to round out his game because of that and other things. He's not ready, but he'll enter the draft and be out of the league in four years like a majority of the guys which is the norm, not everyone makes it big, it's like the lottery. But he has the chance to take his game to a whole other level if he stays another year and works his ass off this offseason.